The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.

click above image for boxscore

THE GOOD: David Price. We will never get tired of praising the starting pitchers. This time it was King David who allowed just one unearned run in 7.2 innings and was still touching 95 on the gun in the 8th inning…The Svelte Catcher. First there was Dioner Navarro throwing out a base stealer in a 1-0 game in the 6th inning. Then with a runner on second and no outs in the 8th, he fielded a bunt and avoided a collision with Davis Price and still got the runner at first. It was easily his best game behind the plate this season. On top of that, he had 2 walks. That happened just 2 times in 2009…Sean Rodriguez. It just seemed like Rodzilla needed a big hit to get out of his funk. Let’s hope the 2-run double in the 7th does the trick. We saw what this kid can do in the spring. He is a big league hitter. It’s just a matter of time.

THE BAD: Never F*** With A Winning Streak. Evan Longoria got a craptastic haircut. He then proceeded to commit an error giving the A’s their only run and also saw the end to his 12-game hitting streak. We think he owes us some stirrups as an apology. And if he doesn’t do something different today, we will start calling him “Joe Dirtbag.” (via Billy Norris)

THE TELLING: The Rays +86 run differential is good. Their +93 run differential in the last 23 games is better…Ben Zobrist did not start and Evan Longoria batted third in his place…The Rays are just the 4th team to start 13-1 on the road. The 1984 Tigers started 17-0 before being swept in Seattle…No TV today for the Rays.

WHERE THEY STAND: The Rays are 22-7, 1.5 games ahead of the Yankees and 5 games ahead of the Blue Jays in the Wild Card. After 29 games in 2008, the Rays were 16-13.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

Here is Evan Longoria talking about his new “haircut.” [Tampa Tribune]

Tom Verducci wrote a flattering article about the Rays pitching. [SI.com]

Unfortunately he confused James Shields for Scot Shields (and even spelled Scot’s name wrong). How does this still happen? Scot Shields isn’t even a pimple on James the Greater’s fanny. [Dock of the Rays]

It’s behind the insider wall, but Jason Churchill and Keith Law re-drafted the 2004 draft. They have the Rays taking either Adam Lind or Yovanni Gallardo in place of Jeff Niemann (thanks Thad). [ESPN]

DOWN ON THE FARM…

Check out “The Rundown” from Rays Prospects for boxscores and more detailed recaps. [Rays Prospects]

DURHAM: Richard de los Santos picked up his first win with 6.2 innings and 3 runs allowed…Joe Dillon was 3-4 with his 8th double and 5th home run…Jose Lobaton hit his second home run in 2 days. The key to Dioner Navarro’s future is not John Jaso. It is Lobaton. The Rays will only move Navarro if they are confident Lobaton can serve as the emergency catcher.

MONTGOMERY: Rayner Oliveros gave up 6 runs in 4 innings and the Biscuits managed just 1 run on 3 hits.

CHARLOTTE: Joe Cruz gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in just 4 innings…Tim Beckham was 0-4 with 3 strikeouts and is 0 for his last 12 and just 9-68 (.132) on the season…Matt Sweeney was 2-4 with a double.

BOWLING GREEN: Jason McEachern picked up his first win, allowing just 1 run in 6 innings…Chris Murrill and Ty Morrison were both 3-4.

10 Comments

Great game, again. Enjoying living the dream with these guys while it lasts. Price had another great game, but he worries me a bit with his negative attitude after a game like he pitched last night (see SP Times video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hemHaEdoxX8&feature=player_embedded). This is at least the second time I have seen him like this after a game. If it works for him, fine, but I'd like to see him a little more positive.

I dunno -- I kind of like the fact that King David sets very high standards for himself and focuses on where he falls short rather than patting himself on the back. I like it better than when Scott Kazmir would get pounded and then tell interviewers that he really thinks his slider is getting better. Players with Price's attitude are always improving. I'm sure by the light of day he can appreciate the great game he pitched overall. But he was cruising toward a shut out and he dug himself a hole with those walks. I'm sure that was on his mind in immediately after the game, when Topkin interviewed him.

That's a good point, Sarah. And Kaz did that (talked about his slider) after his last start with the Angels. Rather have DP as our lefty, even though last August I thought the Rays had made a big mistake. That's why they pay Friedman, rather than me, the big bucks.

Don't hear much.... from those "brain surgeons" that said we don't have the payroll to compete in AL east... with the big spenders ....
Looks like their wrong again!
Maddon batting .500...
Aybar at DH instead of Burrell is the "power" move..
Rodz for Brig. wrong most days...I don't care whos pitching...
But...worked out last night...and Rodz needs more confidence...to become a regular on this team....